Excuses
by Mokusan
Summary: Lee likes Sakura. Sakura doesn't like Lee. Sometimes all anyone needs is a little excuse. [LeeSakura]


**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto.  
**A/N:** This was a one-shot I wrote for my friend's birthday, which happened to be several months ago. Enjoy! This is for you, Aya!

* * *

He frowned, infamous eyebrows neatly knitted together in deep thought. The sun was positioned high overhead, its heat intense. Sweat dripped along his face; his spandex uniform clung tight to his body in a fashion far more uncomfortable than usual. But so oblivious was he to his surroundings that, had there been a raging blizzard howling around him, he would have taken no notice; his mind was far too occupied with _important_ things to be concerned even the slightest over changes in climate.

Clouds lazily drifted across an endless expanse of blue. Although he stared up at them, his cloud watching skills were what Shikamaru might consider mediocre at best, disgraceful at worst. He did not seem to strive for the shadow-user's approval; Shikamaru was nowhere in sight and he hadn't intended to cloud watch to begin with. He simply had too much on his mind and staring off at nothing seemed the best way to organize his thoughts. So far, however, it did not seem to be working.

A certain pink-haired kunoichi seemed determined to keep his mind locked in a stale civil war.

Before he had thought of her constantly, to be sure. With a pretty face like hers, he wondered why he appeared to be the only one to admire her beauty. The other boys seemed to find her dull or annoying; her cleverness escaped their eyes as if they had hoods pulled over their heads. He tried to see her from their point of view but for the life of him he simply couldn't understand what they found to be so entirely unpleasant.

The second problem to present himself was that of Sakura herself. Had any of the boys, other than Naruto, expressed interest, he doubted she would turn them away as harshly as she had done himself. There was no repulsion in her eyes, no flicker of disgust as she conversed with them. He could remember the first time he spoke to her. She had turned him down without a second thought; each time he'd encountered her afterward she'd only wanted to get away.

As the chuunin exam progressed, he had saved her. Perhaps it was then he had won her respect. Even so, she did not seem to think of him in the romantic way he fawned over her. They were more companions, casual friends to help one another in times of need. Thought that, too, seemed more a formality than much anything else. Yet she and Ino were the only ones, teammates and sensei aside, to visit him while he was in the hospital. She had brought him a flower and tried to help him when he had refused to give up.

With a frustrated sigh he sat up, wishing for the umpteenth time Sakura didn't send such mixed messages in his direction. Did she value what small friendship they had or did she ignore it? Was there hope for there to ever be anything more? He stood and set off at a slow pace, eyes trained to the ground. There were so many other things he could be thinking of or doing; yet he could not get her out of his mind, no matter how hard he tried.

"Lee!"

He stopped, slowly turning to see who had called him. He would have recognized that voice anywhere and yet he couldn't help but feel that it was only a dream. But there was Sakura, chasing after him, a yellow daisy clutched delicately in her hand.

"There you are," she said as she came to a stop. She smiled. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"Hello, Sakura!" Lee exclaimed; he grinned in spite of himself.

"Ino told me that you left this for me," she began, staring down at the flower as she talked instead of looking up at him. "That... Thank you." Lee blinked; he wasn't sure what was so entirely special about it.

"Didn't Naruto leave you anything?"

"Naruto?" She let out a slight laugh. "Even if he had been here he wouldn't bring flowers. But he would have visited." Sakura had been in the hospital, having over-exerted herself during an emergency healing. Tsunade had demanded she stay in bed for a few days and, as Tsunade was both her teacher and the Hokage, Sakura had had no choice but to oblige. Naruto had been on a mission at the time and Sasuke... Sakura didn't like to think about him.

"Oh. Well, I knew they were your favorite, and..." For once, Lee didn't know what to say. He could recall very few times Sakura had thanked him, though those had generally involved life-and-death situations. "You're welcome, Sakura."

She lifted a hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and the daisy slipped from her grasp. They both watched it fall to the ground, temporarily frozen in place. And suddenly they both moved, bending down to gather the flower. They froze again as their hands brushed, faces so close he could feel her warm breath as she exhaled. Their faces resembled tomatoes, a vibrant cherry red.

Without thinking he closed the small gap between them in a brief kiss before he rapidly pulled away, embarrassed of his behavior and worried how she would react. Perhaps he had gone too far and she would never look at him again.

"Lee?"

Before he could stop himself he had turned to look at her. Sakura's expression was not angry, as he had expected it to be; instead it was calm and relaxed, the complete opposite of livid. He did not have long to take it in as before he could say 'sorry' she had kissed him

"What... Was that for?" Lee asked as they pulled away. The look of surprise he wore made her giggle.

"It was my thank you," she replied, taking up his hand in hers and leading him away. Still stunned, he followed, unsure of what to do. "For being the only one who came." He stared down at her with a mix of curiosity and disbelief; he knew she would never kiss him simply because he had paid her a hospital visit. Sakura rolled her eyes and grinned, leaning against him as they reached the training grounds.

"At least, that's my excuse."


End file.
